Identity Theft Is a “Kafkaesque” Nightmare. AI Makes It Way Worse.

Big Oil’s Big Win • Trump’s Stormy Weather • The Annals of Black Twitter [View in your browser]( | [Update your preferences](newsletter=vf) [Vanity Fair Hive logo image]( Identity Theft Is a “Kafkaesque” Nightmare. AI Makes It Way Worse. It’s a new dawn for deception. This week, Nick Bilton [spelled out]( just how true that now is with the AI-fueled advent of hyperrealistic deepfakes and voice cloning, which could turn identity theft into “identity hijacking.” How to prevent all this? Well, ironic as it might seem, “the only way to stop AI,” as one expert tells him, “is with AI.” Zooming out from the terrors of the techverse, Eric Lutz [touches on]( those of Donald Trump, whose electoral win would be a big gift to Big Oil—and complete chaos for the climate. For now, however, it appears the former president is most focused on coming out of his criminal hush money trial unscathed—which could prove challenging, as Dan Adler [reported]( from the courthouse this week, after the damning testimony of Stormy Daniels. But don’t get too excited, because even if Trump is put behind bars, that doesn’t necessarily mean smooth-sailing for Joe Biden, whose brain trust is preparing for nearly every eventuality, according to Chris Smith’s [meaty dispatch]( from the campaign HQ. Finally, if you’re looking to end the week on a more uplifting note, dive into Brian Stelter’s latest [episode]( of Inside the Hive—which features Prentice Penny and Jason Parham, both chroniclers of Black Twitter—on how the community “gave the internet its own language.” Thanks for reading, and see you on Monday. —Jon Skolnik, associate editor [Image may contain: Silhouette, Alloy Wheel, Car, Car Wheel, Machine, Spoke, Tire, Transportation, Vehicle, Wheel, and Road]( [Identity Theft Is a “Kafkaesque” Nightmare. AI Makes It Way Worse.]( By [Nick Bilton]( [From hyperrealistic deepfakes to voice cloning, fraudsters are upping the threat level, potentially heralding, as one expert warns, the era of “identity hijacking.”]( [Read more button](   [Why Big Oil Executives Are Already Salivating Over a Second Trump Term]( By [Eric Lutz]( [Seeking campaign cash, the former president reportedly told industry bigwigs that he’d open the floodgates for drilling and take a sledgehammer to Joe Biden’s environmental initiatives.]( [Read more button](   [Stormy Daniels Put on a Show in Second Day of Trump Testimony]( By [Dan Adler]( [A cross-examination of the woman at the heart of the former president’s hush money cover-up trial drew a frenzied media to Manhattan Criminal Court Thursday. Daniels did not disappoint.]( [Read more button](   [“We’re Not Selling Hysteria”: Inside the Cold Calculation and Unyielding Optimism of the Biden Brain Trust]( By [Chris Smith]( [In Wilmington, Joe Biden’s reelection team is tackling stubborn polls, Gaza protests, and third-party threats as it assembles a sophisticated machine to defeat Donald Trump. And the stakes couldn’t be higher: “We could lose the thing that matters most to me,” says campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillon, “which is a future for my kids.”]( [Read more button](   [Image may contain: Tie, Accessories, Accessory, Electrical Device, Microphone, Human, Person, Suit, Coat, and Clothing]( [Why Black Twitter Isn’t Fleeing Elon Musk’s X]( By [Brian Stelter]( [A new docuseries on Hulu explores the history and cultural impact of Black Twitter.]( [Read more button](   Get on the list Subscribe to our Hollywood newsletter for your essential industry and awards-season news, every day. [Sign Up Now](   [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Instagram]( [LinkedIn](   This e-mail was sent to you by The Hive. To ensure delivery to your inbox (not bulk or junk folders), please add our e-mail address, vanityfair@newsletter.vf.com, to your address book. View our [Privacy Policy]( [Unsubscribe]( Sent from Condé Nast, 1 World Trade Center, New York, NY 10007 Copyright © 2024 Condé Nast